Maximizing Your Performance: How Chiropractic Care Can Enhance Athletic Performance in San Diego's Active Community

San Diego is a haven for active lifestyles—home to surfers, triathletes, marathon runners, CrossFitters, hikers, and weekend warriors alike. Whether you’re chasing a personal record in a race, aiming for a new PR in the gym, or just hoping to stay pain-free for your next surf session, one thing is clear: optimizing your performance starts with taking care of your body.

At Team Elite Chiropractic, we believe in a simple principle: your body performs best when it moves well. That’s where chiropractic care plays a crucial role—not just in treating injuries, but in unlocking your full athletic potential.

Understanding Performance from a Chiropractor's Perspective

As Dr. CJ Epstein of Team Elite puts it:

“We all want to be able to do our sport or activity to our best ability—whatever that may be. It might be playing with your grandkids or competing in an Ironman. In order to perform at your best, we need to make sure your body is moving optimally.”

Chiropractic care isn’t just about cracking backs—it’s about creating a movement-ready body that’s resilient, aligned, and capable of enduring the demands of your activity. Whether you're logging miles on your bike or powering through HIIT classes, chiropractic care helps your joints move properly, aids in recovery, and keeps minor issues from becoming long-term problems.

Why San Diego’s Active Community Relies on Chiropractic Care

San Diego offers year-round access to outdoor fitness, but it also presents year-round wear and tear. From ocean swells to mountain trails, the city’s active population puts its bodies to the test.

That’s why so many locals—from elite athletes to busy parents—rely on chiropractic care to:

• Increase joint range of motion for smoother, more efficient movement.
• Promote tissue recovery through manual therapies, reducing soreness and strain.
• Prevent injuries by addressing muscular imbalances before they lead to breakdown.
• Speed up healing with advanced modalities like laser therapy and soft tissue work.

“As we get older or increase the volume of our activity, our tissues—tendons, ligaments, muscles—get stressed,” says Dr. Epstein. “That’s good stress, but it needs to be supported with recovery. That’s where we fit in.”

Beyond Injury: The Power of Preventative Care

Many people wait until something hurts to seek care—but at Team Elite, the emphasis is on prevention. Regular visits help ensure your body doesn’t develop the stiffness, compensations, or joint restrictions that eventually lead to injury or decreased performance.

“It’s very easy to jump into activity without warming up or understanding what your body needs. Our goal is to help you stay moving well—not just today, but for the long haul,” Dr. Epstein explains.

From foam rolling to mobility work, many recovery practices can be done at home—but chiropractic care provides a level of hands-on precision that home tools can’t match. Techniques like:

• Cupping
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• Laser Therapy 
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Dynamic warm-up programming

…are personalized for your activity and your body’s unique movement patterns.

Custom Plans for Individual Goals

Team Elite takes an individualized approach with each patient. Using the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) tool, Dr. Epstein evaluates how your entire body moves—from head to toe. From there, treatment plans are designed around your specific goals based on how your individual body moves. 

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Dr. Epstein says. “We assess your movement, understand your goals, and tailor everything to help you achieve your personal best.”

What the Pros Do: Lessons from the San Diego Padres

Dr. Epstein’s work with the San Diego Padres gives him firsthand insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level of professional sports.

“These guys don’t just show up and play,” he says. “They’re doing cold tubs, cryotherapy, laser, shockwave, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic—you name it. They’re constantly investing in their recovery.”

Why? Because in pro sports, even a 1% edge can make the difference between winning and losing.

While most of us don’t have access to a full training staff, Team Elite brings elements of that high-performance environment into one visit.

“We’re trying to take the professional sports training room and make it accessible to weekend warriors,” says Dr. Epstein. “It’s more than what a typical chiropractor might offer—but it’s exactly what many active people need.”

Your Performance Journey Starts Here

Maximizing your performance isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what works for you. At Team Elite Chiropractic, we believe that maximizing your performance begins with knowing where your limitations are.

Ready to elevate your performance?

Book an appointment at Team Elite Chiropractic to start your personalized recovery and performance journey today.